The directors behind “Our Unwritten Seoul,” “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” and “Study Group” share how universal storytelling, distinctive characters and creative direction are driving K-dramas’ global appeal
■ Profiles
Park Shin-woo | Director
- Award & Recent Activity: Recipient of the 62nd Baeksang Arts Awards for Best Directing in the Broadcasting category for directing the drama “Our Unwritten Seoul”; currently filming the drama “The Assembly Member’s Blessing”
- Previous Works: Dramas “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” “Encounter,” etc.
Jang Tae-yoo | Director
- Recent Activity: Director of the drama “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty”
- Previous Works: Dramas “My Love from the Star,” “War of Money,” etc.
Lee Jang-hoon | Director
- Recent Activity: Director of Season 1 of the drama “Study Group” and currently filming Season 2
- Previous Works: Films “Be with You,” “Miracle,” etc.
■ Key Achievements
| Title | Global Viewership & Streaming Records | Domestic & International Awards & Nominations |
|---|---|---|
| “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” | Ranked #3 globally for Netflix TV series viewing hours as of the second half of 2025 (recorded a total of 588.3 million hours) | • Banff World Media Festival 2026 Rockie Awards International Program Competition: – Finalist: Drama Series: Non-English Language • C21 International Drama Awards – Finalist: Comedy-Drama Series • Baeksang Arts Awards: – Winner: Best New Actor (Lee Chae-min) – Nominations: Best Drama, Best Actress (Yoona) |
| “Our Unwritten Seoul” | • Entered the Netflix Global TV Show (Non-English) Top 3 right after its premiere in May and remained in the Top 10 for 6 consecutive weeks | • Baeksang Arts Awards: – Winner: Best Director (Park Shin-woo), Best Actress (Park Bo-young) – Finalist: Best Drama, Best Screenplay (Lee Kang), Best Actor (Park Jin-young), Best Supporting Actress (Won Mi-kyung) • Asian Television Awards (ATA): – Finalist: Best Original Screenplay |
| “Study Group” | • Ranked #1 for new paid subscriber contribution on TVING for 5 consecutive weeks • Ranked in the Top 5 on Rakuten Viki across 143 countries • Season 2 production confirmed and currently in filming | • Asian Academy Creative Awards (AACA) – Grand Final Winner: Best Original Production by a Streamer (Fiction) – National Winner: Best Cinematography (Fiction) • Banff World Media Festival 2026 Rockie Awards International Program Competition: – Finalist: Comedy Series: Non-English Language |
■ Interview
Q1. All three works not only received great love on global platforms but also gained recognition at international awards. What do you think is the biggest reason why your respective works were able to capture the hearts of global viewers and receive international critical acclaim?
- Director Park Shin-woo: “I think it ultimately comes down to ‘human stories.’ Because these works follow the thoughts, lives and emotional trajectories of the characters, I believe the stories within them were able to transcend borders and achieve universal resonance across generations.”
- Director Jang Tae-yoo: “To be honest, given that it’s a historical drama, I didn’t expect this level of global response. Since we initially made it with viewers in Korea as our primary audience, today’s enthusiastic reception feels like a truly unexpected gift. It seems that international viewers found the premise of a French chef serving royal cuisine to a Joseon king, the fusion Korean food and the romantic comedy unfolding within the framework of a historical drama to be remarkably fresh. In addition, I believe Yoona’s global popularity served as a major driving force behind this success.”
- Director Lee Jang-hoon: “Rather than overthinking, I focused on making it ‘unconditionally fun.’ My goal was to ensure that for the 40 minutes spent watching the show, viewers could momentarily forget the stresses of reality and share a laugh. I think viewers responded warmly to that simple and lighthearted charm.”
Q2. For Director Park Shin-woo: Through your work “Our Unwritten Seoul,” what was the message you wanted to convey through the concept of ‘Seoul’? Also, what was the most critical point you considered while directing the dual-role setting?
- Director Park Shin-woo: “Because of the title “Our Unwritten Seoul,” some might think it intends to highlight the specificity of a certain region, but I actually wanted to focus on the universal attributes of a ‘city’ rather than Seoul as a specific place.
Just as many of us, including my parents’ generation, migrated from rural areas to the city, the phenomenon of leaving a familiar hometown and gathering in a massive metropolis happens universally all around the world. The emotions that arise during that process are much the same.
Much like the fable ‘The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse,’ everyone longs for a place other than where they currently are and compares the reality of those in an unfamiliar place with their own reality. In doing so, they experience unfamiliar emotions in newly encountered places while reminiscing about the feelings from the places they originally belonged to.
In our work, I aimed to capture ‘Seoul’ as a spatial embodiment of that object of yearning. Furthermore, I maximized this contrast between the two spaces and emotions through the ‘dual-role’ setting—Miji living in Seoul and Miji living in the countryside.”
Q3. For Director Jang Tae-yoo: You placed ‘food’ at the center of the story in “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty.” What message did you want to convey to global viewers through it?
- Director Jang Tae-yoo: “I chose this project because ‘food’ was at the core of the original work. Rather than trying to deliver a grandiose or declarative message to viewers, I approached it out of curiosity: ‘How far can we drive a story using food as a medium to convey love, focusing on the most primal and essential elements of daily life?’ Ultimately, this work is, at its core, a ‘love story.’
In particular, because food was not just a simple prop but a core device driving the dialogue and narrative between characters, I put a lot of effort into shooting it so that it would clearly differentiate itself from the food seen in other existing films and dramas.
When directing the food scenes, I focused on four stages of detail:
First, ‘who is eating the food?’;
second, ‘what ingredients are chosen and how are they prepared?’;
third, ‘how can we add value through plating?’;
and finally, fourth, ‘what emotions do those who taste it experience?’
In this way, every moment—from when a dish is prepared and completed to when it is delivered to someone—was meticulously crafted to become a small drama in itself, portraying the characters’ emotions and shifting relationships.”
Q4. For Director Lee Jang-hoon: While satisfying the expectations of original fans, what was your biggest concern in delivering fresh entertainment to global viewers for “Study Group”?
- Director Lee Jang-hoon: “Honestly, I’m not usually someone who enjoys school-action dramas. The biggest reason is that it was simply too hard for me to watch the school violence or bullying scenes that inevitably appear in such genres. I used to think, ‘Life is hard enough dealing with this in reality; why should we endure such pain while watching video content?’ However, when I read the original webtoon, strangely enough, I didn’t feel that kind of aversion. When adapting it into a drama, figuring out how to bring that exact aspect to life was my biggest concern.
I established two main principles:
First, ‘let’s maintain a fast and refreshing pace.’ I intentionally tried not to dwell on the distress. Even when addressing difficult situations, I ensured they were swiftly and satisfyingly resolved within that same episode, so viewers wouldn’t have to carry the frustration over to the next episode or next week.
Secondly, by focusing on kinetic action and pure genre catharsis rather than heavy realism, and by utilizing stylized directing, unique camera work and energetic editing, I wanted to invite the audience to step back and enjoy it as an exhilarating, fast-paced action fantasy ride. When viewers get instantly immersed and react with, ‘Is it over already?’—appreciating the pure energy and fun of the show—I feel greatly rewarded as a director.”
Q5. What do you consider the most important element in creating characters that global viewers will love?
- Director Park Shin-woo: “When creating characters or a project, the thing I guard against the most is the illusion that ‘I know them well.’ I believe there is nothing more dangerous than assuming you fully understand a character based on years of on-set experience or personal speculation.
Our job is to portray people who belong to an entirely different generation, group and world from our own. While sympathizing with someone is a positive thing, the moment we grow arrogant and think we ‘completely understand them,’ we miss the real truth. As I grow older and gain more experience, I constantly catch myself to avoid falling into this trap.
That is why I consider starting from the premise of ‘I don’t know them very well’ to be the most important thing. When you doubt and delve deeper into the lives of those who are hard to understand and unfamiliar to you, believing that the ‘real truth’ lies hidden beneath the surface, you can finally complete a character that comes much closer to reality.” - Director Jang Tae-yoo: “I believe characters are not created by the director alone, but are the result of collaboration among the writer, the actors and numerous staff members on set. Ultimately, my role is to act as a facilitator, helping the actor embody the character in the script as attractively as possible.
For instance, in the case of actress Yoona, who played a French chef, she prepared fiercely and meticulously to pull off the role. She dedicated six months to practicing cooking, willingly enduring such an arduous process that her fingers were covered in wounds. The fervent sincerity she poured into her performance reached the viewers through the screen just as it was.
On the other hand, the tyrant King Yi Heon required much more intense deliberation as a director. Since the character was motivated by a historical figure, I put a great deal of effort into refining the texture of the narrative so that viewers could fully immerse themselves in the story. To preserve the narrative tension of the character, I uncompromisingly brought out the king’s cruel and ferocious nature, while aiming to complete the character’s multi-dimensional reality through the chilling aura exuded by rookie actor Lee Chae-min and the dramatic contrast with his co-star. I believe that tension made a lasting impression on the viewers.” - Director Lee Jang-hoon: “This project featured elements and lines that were somewhat strongly cartoonish. I worried a lot about how to help viewers immerse themselves without feeling awkward, but I got a major hint when I first met Hwang Min-hyun, who plays the lead role. From his way of speaking to his personality, he was the character himself.
That’s why, rather than finding an actor and making them fit a character, I decided I needed to find someone who could naturally pull off the original archetype of the character. From then on, I held open auditions for over 1,500 actors and personally cast everyone, down to about 40 minor roles. Thanks to melting the actors’ genuine charms into the characters, a realistic sense of vitality could be added even amidst the cartoonish settings. I get a huge kick out of it when viewers enjoy it and think, ‘It’s cheesy, but why can’t I stop watching?’”
Q6. For Director Jang Tae-yoo: What is your creative principle for blending diverse genres into a single, cohesive story?
- Director Jang Tae-yoo: “Frankly speaking, I’ve often wondered about that myself. Looking at my previous works—ranging from “My Love from the Star” to “War of Money”—the tones are so different that it looks like they were directed by completely different people. For over 20 years, I wrestled with the thought, ‘Why don’t I have a distinct directing style?’ Recently, as part of that ongoing reflection, I even asked AI why that might be. The AI analyzed that rather than being conscious of genre boundaries when making a drama, I strive to capture human stories. That insight really helped me find my own answer. Through this long process of reflection, I was finally able to establish my creative principle. Regardless of the genre, what ultimately matters is ‘human stories,’ and the universal emotions of people never change. That is why, even when various genres like fantasy, romance, historical drama and food are intricately woven together, the core of the story remains steady and can come together as a single, unified flow.”
Q7. For Director Lee Jang-hoon: What are the new charms or the atmosphere on set for “Study Group” Season 2, which is currently in production?
- Director Lee Jang-hoon: “I just wrapped up filming early this morning. With about a month of shooting left, this is actually my first time working on a ‘seasonal drama,’ so I’m approaching it with the strong determination to deliver an even higher level of completion than Season 1.
Above all, because the staff and actors already work together so well, the atmosphere on set is at an absolute high. The rookie actors who were so green in Season 1 have grown much more attractive in both appearance and acting through their experiences in various projects. Just watching them all return noticeably more mature and create a fantastic ensemble is a real joy for me. Furthermore, thanks to the success of Season 1, the casting process was much smoother, allowing some unexpected, well-known actors to join us as well.
One thing I can tell you for sure is that Season 2 is going to be much funnier than Season 1. I hope you’ll look forward to it.”
Q8. For Director Park Shin-woo of “Our Unwritten Seoul”: What do you think was the reason stories of identity, growth and family were able to resonate with global audiences across cultures and languages?
- Director Park Shin-woo: “Identity, growth and family are core themes that anyone around the world can relate to. They are also the three elements you need to pay the closest attention to when crafting a story aimed at forming a global consensus. These serve as the foundation of all storytelling dating back to the age of myths.
True to our intentions, our project naturally incorporated all of these elements. From the planning stage, the writer set out to weave a family story centered on identity, rooted in personal experience. I believe this ultimately connected with universal human codes, allowing it to strike a deep chord with global viewers.”
Q9. What new possibilities do you think global co-productions or collaborations with international creators can open up for K-dramas?
- Director Lee Jang-hoon: “I’ve experienced both films and dramas. Just as the expansion of dramas through streaming platforms and other services has broadened the scope of our production environments, I believe global collaborations will similarly expand our working methods and the spectrum of our projects in diverse ways. Global co-productions and collaborations with international creators will serve as another milestone opportunity for K-content to leap forward to the next level. If anyone is interested in working on an exciting project together regarding this, please feel free to reach out to me personally.”
- Director Jang Tae-yoo: “Looking back, I’ve had a strong desire to work in the U.S. for a long time. A while ago, after watching “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” I actually ran into the cinematographer and boldly suggested, ‘You should come shoot in Korea.’ Given the budget and circumstances, it must have sounded absurd, so people around me just laughed it off (laughs). That’s how passionate I am about global production, and I’ve traveled internationally to gain various experiences.
What I realized while attempting to expand globally is that there are clear limits when a director tries to direct local content written by a writer from another culture. Without fully internalizing the subtle ‘flavor’ of the culture and language, no matter how well it is translated, the final result falls short.
That is why, moving forward, rather than forcefully chasing localized content, I want to tell stories where ‘Korea’ firmly anchors the core. For instance, stories where the protagonist is Korean but the events unfold in another country, or conversely, stories set in Korea featuring international characters who visit the country. I feel I can truly spread my wings when Korean elements or characters serve as at least one solid pillar in the narrative. I will continue to take on challenges to create compelling global content.”
■ Related Content
- [Press Release] CJ ENM Hosts a Semi-Final Round of Judging for the 2026 International Emmy® Awards for the Second Consecutive Year
- [Video] CJ ENM Global Partners Day 2026 | K-Content Meets the World
■ Sources & References
- Source: CJ ENM Partners Day Creator Talk Session (July 22, 2026)
- Official Website: https://www.cjenm.com/en/
*Latest Update: August 31, 2026
